We didn’t see this year coming, but we heard it from all sides. In Signal & Noise 2016, you’ll find the way we made sense out of all of that sound.

“The Stakes” is your look at the week’s news without the filler of talking heads and clickbait. Every week, MTV News’s Holly Anderson and her team of writers — including Ana Marie Cox and Jamil Smith — guide you through the week’s news, social justice issues, and culture stories through a mix of interviews, essays, special reporting, and poetry. “The Stakes” is investigative, thoughtful, and BS-free.

In “At Standing Rock,” MTV News writer Marcus Ellsworth and producer Kasia Mychajlowycz traveled to North Dakota to talk with water protectors, volunteers, and allies about why they’re standing up against the Dakota Access Pipeline:

“Orlando” is a painful and personal “Stakes” episode from the week of the Orlando massacre, in which we look at the human stories and broader historical and cultural issues raised by the tragedy:

In “Get Up, Stand Up,” we look at taking action in all ways, from voter mobilization efforts to prison strikes to the earliest days of the Dakota Access Pipeline protests:

“The Stakes” is a proud member of the MTV Podcast Network. You can check out other great shows including “Speed Dial,” “North Mollywood,” “Lady Problems,” and “Happy Sad Confused” at podcasts.mtv.com.